Heading Home
by Subject1617
Summary: Doing exactly what he promised, Joel is heading to Tommy's small community, a strong safe house from all the evil in the world. The drive is quiet, and even quieter still without Ellie's constant questions or chatting. Joel attempts to get a few words out of Ellie along the way, including ideas for a new name of the horse Ellie wants to replace Callus. *Testing Joel and Ellie*


**A/N: Just a little thing to allow me to test out Joel and Ellie as characters. Tell me how you think I did, it would be greatly appreciated! **

Joel found the warm breeze blowing to be a good omen. A good omen after all of the bad ones both he and Ellie had suffered through during their time together. Things were finally coming around, and it pleased him. The partnership drove down the road, Ellie stretched out in the back, staring absently out of the window while Joel took the lead, an arm casually slung out of the window.

"I hope this weather stays." Joel said out loud, looking into his mirror where Ellie's reflection still laid in the back.

"Me too." She said, sighing, tipping her head back. The sun leaked through the windows of the rust old truck, warming their skin and lightening their moods. It was then when Joel wished for the old country tape Ellie had found what seemed like eons ago. Cruising down the highway with a little bit of music would have made his already high spirits soar. Settling deep into the seat, he was content.

"Hey, Joel?" Ellie called from the back seat. She sat up, leaning forward to the front of the car.

"Yeah?"

"How long until we get to Tommy's?" She slithered into the passenger seat, throwing Joel's backpack out of her way to the back.

"A day or two. Not long." Joel replied, looking over to the girl beside him. He added, "That jacket of yours, it's lookin' a bit worn."

Ellie held out her arms, inspecting her plaid jacket. "Yeah, a bit."

"Maybe Maria can get you something new." Joel suggested. Ellie nodded, still fiddling with the holes and thin patches on her sleeves.

Joel held back a sigh and looked down the road. He didn't like how silent Ellie was these past few weeks. It wasn't like her at all.

_She'll come around, _Joel told himself.

"Hey, why don't you read some of those jokes?"

Ellie rose her scarred brow. "You hate those."

"I don't. Go on, read some." It wasn't a complete lie. Though he found them corny and somewhat irritating at times, he liked how they put a smile on Ellie's face.

Ellie reached into the back and grabbed her bag, placing it on her lap as she searched for the poorly written joke book. Once it had been found, she tossed her bag to the back,

She flipped to a random page, reading the first one she saw. "I tried to catch some fog earlier. I mist."

"I've heard that one before." Joel said, the corner of his mouth upturning into a slight smile.

"I've read them all. I should really find a new book."

"Tell me the one I like." Joel suggested, giving Ellie a quick glance.

She began flipping through the book. "The one about the grapes right?"

"That's the one."

"Okay, here it is." She cleared her throat. "What did the green grape say to the purple grape? ... 'Breathe, idiot!'"

Joel allowed a small chuckle, Ellie joining in.

"God, these are horrible. I've heard some better ones." Putting her book away, Ellie put her feet on the dash of the truck. "Do you think Tommy will give us another Callus?"

"Maybe." Joel replied. "If you ask him nicely."

"Maybe we can call him Callus Two as well." Ellie smiled at the thought.

Joel's face dropped. "Let's choose another name… I mean seriously, what kind of name is Callus anyway?"

"Well. What were you thinking?" she asked.

"Anything but Callus."

With that, a silence settled over the two. Leaning against a propped elbow, Joel's mind began to fade away to the destination he drove towards. He wondered what a somewhat civilized life would be like after a year, hell, a life time, of running away from a pack of Clickers or a mob of hunters. He wouldn't have to worry about whether or not there would be food in their stomachs that night, he wouldn't lay awake at night, his ears alert for any noise out of ordinary.

Interrupting his thoughts, Ellie suddenly sat bolt up-right in her seat. "Oh my god!"

The car swerved as Joel's reactions took over. No longer leaning casually against the door, he too sat up straight.

"What? What is it?" He demanded, staring out of the window with sharp eyes.

"We could name our new horse Ass Kicker!"

Realizing that there was no immediate danger, Joel relaxed. His heart pumped loudly in his ears, so loudly that he hardly heard Ellie's explanation.

"We're a bad ass team. Why don't we name the horse Ass Kicker?"

Joel chuckled lowly. "Ass Kicker, huh? Why not."

"When we get to Tommy's," Ellie began, acting more and more like her usual self with her constant questions and curiosities. "will you teach me guitar like you said?"

"Sure."

"And teach me how to swim?"

"I will."

Seeming content, Ellie crawled into the back of the car. "It'll be nice not to run around as much."

Joel went back to leaning on the door. "I agree with you there, kid. I agree with you there."


End file.
